Insulated material and articles made therefrom

Abstract

A composite insulation material comprises a layer of refractory fabric having a layer of a metallic material bonded thereto. The refractory fabric may be comprised of pyrolyzed polymer or an inorganic material such as a mineral fiber, glass, ceramics and the like. Also disclosed is a thermally and acoustically insulated vessel fabricated from a body of polymeric material which defines at least a portion of the vessel, and which has a body of refractory fabric partially embedded in and retained by the polymeric material so that the refractory fabric is exposed upon a surface of the body of polymeric material. Disclosed are air ducts, fuel tanks and conduits of this type.

1 . A thermally and acoustically insulated vessel, said vessel comprising: 
 a body of polymeric material which defines at least a portion of said vessel; and    a body of a refractory fabric which is partially embedded in, and retained by, said polymeric material so that a portion of said body of refractory fabric is exposed upon a surface of said body of polymeric material; whereby said exposed portion of said refractory fabric provides thermal and acoustic insulation for said vessel.    
     
     
         2 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein said fabric is a non-woven fabric.  
     
     
         3 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein said fabric is comprised of carbonized filaments of a polymeric material.  
     
     
         4 . The vessel of  claim 3 , wherein said polymeric material comprises polyacrylonitrile.  
     
     
         5 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein said body of refractory fabric has a thickness in the range of 1-50 millimeters.  
     
     
         6 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein said body of polymeric material is configured to retain a fluid.  
     
     
         7 . The vessel of  claim 6 , wherein said body of polymeric material defines a duct configured to direct a stream of gaseous fluid therethrough.  
     
     
         8 . The vessel of  claim 7 , wherein said fabric is disposed upon an interior surface of said duct so as to be in contact with said stream of a gaseous fluid.  
     
     
         9 . The vessel of  claim 6 , wherein said body of polymeric material is configured to retain a liquid.  
     
     
         10 . The vessel of  claim 9 , wherein said body of polymeric material defines a tank.  
     
     
         11 . The vessel of  claim 9 , wherein said vessel is configured to retain a fluid in contact with an interior surface thereof, and wherein said body of a refractory fabric is disposed upon an exterior surface of said vessel.  
     
     
         12 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein said body of polymeric material defines a conduit which is configured to retain a communication line therein, and wherein said body of refractory fabric is disposed on an exterior surface of said conduit.  
     
     
         13 . The vessel of  claim 1 , further including a layer of metallic material disposed atop a surface of the exposed body of refractory fabric.  
     
     
         14 . The vessel of  claim 13 , wherein said layer of metallic material comprises a metal foil.  
     
     
         15 . The vessel of  claim 13 , wherein said layer of metallic material is a woven material.  
     
     
         16 . The vessel of  claim 15 , wherein said woven material is an aluminum-based material.  
     
     
         17 . The vessel of  claim 16 , wherein said aluminum-based material is co-woven aluminum and glass fiber material.  
     
     
         18 . A method of making a thermally and acoustically insulated vessel, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a mold having a forming surface which defines at least one surface of said vessel;    disposing a body of a refractory fabric in said mold so that said refractory fabric is in contact with at least a portion of said forming surface;    introducing a hardenable liquid polymeric material into said mold so that said forming surface shapes said liquid polymeric material into a shape corresponding to said vessel and said liquid polymeric material contacts and infiltrates a portion of said refractory fabric; and    hardening said polymeric material so as to define a vessel having said refractory fabric bonded to a surface thereof.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said hardenable liquid polymeric material comprises a molten thermoplastic material.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said hardenable liquid polymeric material comprises a thermosetting polymer.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of providing a mold comprises the step of providing a mold selected from the group consisting of: injection molds, extrusion molds, blow molds, slush molds, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         22 . A composite insulation material comprising: 
 a layer of a refractory fabric; and    a layer of a metallic material disposed in a superposed relationship with a first surface of said layer of refractory fabric.    
     
     
         23 . The material of  claim 22 , wherein said fabric is comprised of carbonized filaments of a polymeric material.  
     
     
         24 . The material of  claim 23 , wherein said polymeric material comprises polyacrylonitrile.  
     
     
         25 . The material of  claim 22 , wherein said layer of metallic material comprises a metal foil.  
     
     
         26 . The material of  claim 25 , wherein said metal foil is a steel foil or an aluminum foil.  
     
     
         27 . The material of  claim 22 , wherein such layer of metallic material is a woven material.  
     
     
         28 . The material of  claim 27 , wherein said woven material is an aluminum-based material.  
     
     
         29 . The material of  claim 28 , wherein said aluminum-based material is a co-woven aluminum and glass fiber material.  
     
     
         30 . The material of  claim 22 , wherein a layer of a reinforcement material is interposed between said layer of refractory fabric and said layer of metallic material.  
     
     
         31 . The material of  claim 30 , wherein said layer of metallic material is a layer of aluminum foil, said layer of reinforcement material is a layer of glass fiber material, and wherein said foil and said layer of glass fiber material are adhesively bonded to the first surface of said layer of refractory fabric.